Page 44 of Thief of Hearts

It annoyed me that I could relate.

She leaned in closer, resting her hand on his upper thigh, and I nearly pulled my dagger out. She whispered something in his ear and a moment later a glass fell from the table, shattering on the floor.

A server hurried over to help clean up the mess and Zain stood up, making his way back over to our table.

He held out his hand and flashed me the sapphire necklace. I looked at the woman’s neck in disbelief.

How had he managed to steal it? I had been watching the entire time.

“Sleight of hand,” he said, answering my question before I had even asked it. “I get everyone to look one way while I’m doing something else.”

The knocked-over glass. It had drawn my attention as well.

“How did she not feel you touching her when you took off the necklace? If you were touching me, I would know it.” Every cell in my body would know it.

“Yes, you would,” he agreed in that low tone that did inexplicable things to the backs of my knees.

A server I hadn’t seen before was walking by our table, and Zain gestured for him to come over. “I found this necklace on the floor. I’m not sure who it belongs to.”

“I will check with the guests until I find the owner,” he said, taking the necklace.

When he left I asked, “Aren’t you worried that the server will steal the necklace?”

“Like many wealthy nations, Sagaris has very strict rules about thievery, and all the punishments are death.”

I blinked at him, shocked. “You stole that necklace knowing you would die if you got caught?”

“You wanted me to and I can’t deny you anything that you want, illora.”

My heart thudded low and hard against my rib cage.

“Also, I don’t get caught.”

I swallowed the feelings rising in my throat. “Weren’t you the one telling me that the gods hate hubris?”

“It’s not pride or arrogance. Just a fact.”

Why was that arousing? We needed to talk about something else besides his excellence. “The servers and the women in the laundry . . . I thought everyone in Sagaris was rich.”

“No. Sagaris has opened their citizenry to anyone who wants to move here.”

I couldn’t think of a single other nation that did that.

He said, “They have an influx of new ideas and new people willing to work to claim their own fortunes. It has helped them to grow and become even wealthier.”

Oh. That was an answer that finished off my question. I racked my brain for another appropriate topic for conversation, but it wasn’t working.

All I could think of was asking whether he had six of those delicious ridges on his abdomen or eight and if he would let me count them with my lips.

“You were able to sleep last night,” he commented.

I wasn’t sure why he’d brought it up. Sleeping felt akin to other bedroom activities and I wasn’t sure that was the best thing to discuss.

“No nightmares?” he asked.

“None.”

He wore a self-satisfied smile, as if he had been personally responsible for that outcome.